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News
CMS drops the 2027 Medicare Advantage star ratings, and the news is mostly steady. About 71% of MAPD enrollees are in plans with four or more stars, even as the average score dipped slightly to 3.99. Nonprofits continue to outshine for-profit plans, and ongoing legal battles over the ratings methodology are still playing out in the courts.
The Trump administration has released the 2027 Medicare Advantage (MA) star ratings, the annual quality scorecard that helps enrollees compare plans during open enrollment. CMS evaluated 508 Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug (MAPD) contracts, arriving at an average score of 3.99 — a slight dip from 4.01 in 2026 but still above the 2025 average of 3.95. The number of contracts being scored continues to shrink, down from 545 in 2024.
While most plans by count landed at 3.5 stars, the picture looks better when weighted by enrollment: roughly 71% of MAPD enrollees are in plans rated four stars or higher — a meaningful quality threshold tied to bonus payments and plan visibility. Nonprofit plans continued to outperform their for-profit counterparts, with 44% of nonprofit MAPD plans earning four-plus stars versus 34% of for-profit plans.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Star ratings directly influence plan bonuses, marketing visibility, and enrollee choices during the Oct. 15–Dec. 7 open enrollment window. Ongoing legal challenges — including CMS's appeal of a ruling that triggered 2026 score recalculations — add uncertainty to a system that millions of seniors rely on to pick their coverage.
